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Mossad, CIA chiefs in talks with Qatari PM for 3-day Gaza ceasefire

Negotiators worldwide are close to striking a deal for a 3-day humanitarian ceasefire for releasing hostages and delivering aid. Netanyahu reiterated the demand to free hostages before a pause in fighting. 

By World Israel News Staff

With calls for a humanitarian pause or a temporary ceasefire growing around the world, mediators are said to be closing on an agreement for a three-day ceasefire and expansion of humanitarian aid permitted into Gaza, in exchange for the release of some of the roughly 240 hostages still held by Hamas.

IaHowever, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that claims an agreement had already been reached are nothing more than “idle rumors.”

Egyptian officials, a United Nations official, and a Western diplomat announced that a three -day ceasefire was imminent.

The pause in hostilities is being negotiated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. A source close to Hamas told the AFT news agency that “Qatar is awaiting an Israeli response.”

According to a senior US official, President Biden suggested that Israel make the three-day ceasefire conditional on the release of a certain number of hostages.

Some sources say that there is a discussion of releasing 12 hostages, half of them American citizens.

However, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen emphasized the harm of the media making speculations about the terms of a three-day ceasefire. “I’d recommend not talking about what we’ve agreed to. It hurts negotiations.”

Read  CIA chief leads first ceasefire summit in months in bid to reboot talks

In a statement Wednesday, a group of seven wealthy nations condemned Hamas and reaffirmed its support of Israel’s right to defend itself. However, it also supported “unimpeded” delivery of humanitarian aid and supplies with “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting.

Netanyahu stood firm on his position that a ceasefire was conditional on the release of hostages. “I want to put to the side all sorts of idle rumors that we are hearing from all sorts of directions, and repeat one clear thing: there will be no ceasefire without the release of our hostages.”

Reuters reported Thursday evening that Qatar’s prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met with the chiefs of the CIA and Mossad in Doha Thursday, to discuss the possible release of some captives in exchange for a limited ceasefire.

There are no details, however, regarding the outcome of Thursday’s meeting.